Indicating apparatus for cash



DeC. 5, R w LYNCH 1,938,295`

Filed Deo, ll, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l gg-f. M4

im l wrWUHHIIMIIIIIINHHl fab* Dec. 5, 1933. R. w. LYNCH 1,938,295

INDICATING APPARATUS FOR CASH REGISTERS Filed Dec. 11, 1930 4 sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 5, 1933. R Wl LYNCH 1,938,295

INDICATING APPARATUS FOR CASH REGISTERS Filed Dec. l1, 1930 4 Sheets-*Sheet 5 D. 5, 1933. R. w. LYNCH 1,938,295

INDICATING APPARATUS FOR CASH REGISTERS Filed Deo. l1, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 5, 1933 PATE-NT oF-Fl-CE -A NDICATING APPARATUS` FOR'CASH t REGISTERS Y W. Lynch, chicago, 1u.

- Application Decemberr 11, 1930 'Y ISerial1817055015585 -l aisrn bywhich'transactions recorded by a cash register may be indicated by the illumination of ajsignwivhich may' beseparate from the cash reg- ,.ister and which may be visibleffrom several directions. Another object is to arrange such elec- Y 715 trioilluxninating apparatus in compact formso vthatit `may be used as an attachment for cash registers now'inuse. 'Other objectsk and advantages will appear as'the specication'proceeds.

The inventionisfully'described in the follow- 20-ing specification and shown in the accompanying'drawinga'in whichd K v vFigure 1 is a side View of a v'cash register equipped with one formof electric rindicating device embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a rear view p56 in elevation; Fig. 3'is.a broken "sectional view, :the section being takenas `indicated at-line 3 of Fig."2; Fig. 4 isanenlarged sectional view of one of the distributor tubesshownin Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is -aiplan viewofthe distributortube; Fig.j6 isa 30l rear view of thelcash register and attachment de- ,ffvice with a `portionof the'wall'broken away; Fig'. 7`is anenlarged plan View of y'an-electric light bulbpanelorframe; Fig. 8 isv a\isectional 'viewof the panel, the section being taken as in- M35 Y,dicated at line.8 ofFig'. 7; Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional View of one 1 ofthe light-bulb sockets; `Fig.`,l0k is a plan viewV of the electric indicating 'apparatus the tophaving been'removed;` vand 11 isa schematic `view ofthe wiring lay-out. In the illustrationgiven lA'represents a cash registerl provided with a casing extension B. The register may be provided with the usual parts ior'j recording 'a 'purchase and with plates or bands upon which numbers have been painted or 451'ormed. The extension 'casing B- voflcash registers now in use are usually provided with openings Cthrough whichV thearnounts recorded by the'cash register arefvisible to the customer and idealer. 'The cash registers are also usually'pro- 50 vided with a plurality of spaced gearsD `which 'are carried yby a shaft supported within the extension B. Thegears'D are usually ve in number.` "In theA embodimentA of my invention illustrat- '55"e`d inthe drawings, the electrici-ndicating appa- .paratus t and is particularlyadapted :for Vuse with f ratusfis housed within' a casing 1 which is provided with a reduced depending portion 2 adapted to extend into'the casing extension vB oi! the cash register. The casing 4portion 2` may be connected to extension B byL screwsfor' other suit- 60 able means. y

kIn the illustrationgivenfthe casing member Y1 is substantially square and is provided on each sideQwith a rectangular opening 3 behind which is secured a pane of glass 4. Secured to the side 55 walls of casing l are the angle-irons 5vwhich provide horizontal ilanges` 6. The flanges 6 support the light frame member '7y and` also the distributor tube support 8. v

The bulb frame 7, in the illustration given, 70 comprises a pair of spaced Walls 9 having partitions 10 dividing the frame into a plurality of compartments. As shown more clearly vin Fig. 10, each side of theframe 7 has vecompartments 75 Each frame compartment is adaptedr toreceive a bulb-socket panel 11. '-"Details of the panel are shown more clearly inFigs, 7, 8 and`9. Preferably thepanel'is formed of a ber 'board 12 covered with a copper strip 13. As shownvmo're 805 clearly in Fig. 9, the copper sheet 13 is drawn into a-n opening 14 in the liber board to form -a cup- 'shaped socket' for an electric lightbulb.r The Asocket portion of the copper sheet is subjected to vpressure to form ythreads adapted to-receive the 85 attachment end of alight bulb. v*Theinher ends 15 of the copper sheet are turned inwardly tosupport ajber disk 16 throughwhich extends a contact stud 17. Connected to the-studs 17 of the vv'bulb sockets 90 are connecting wires 18 which are'connected at. their other endsto contact studs i119 4carried-by the distributor tubes 20. As shown more clearly inFigs'. 4 and 5, each of the `distributortubes `20 preferably comprises a cylindrical body mem- 95 ber 21 which is formed of any suitable insulating material and top` and bottom members 22Y and 23 which close the ends of the cylindrical member 21'. The bottom member 23 is centrally apertured to receive a plunger member 24 which car- 100Y ries a plurality of spaced metal disks 25. A- spring 26 normally urges the plunger in a downward direction. When the plunger is in' loweredposition, the disks are out of engagement with 'the studs l9but when -the plunger is raisedfthe disks 105 y are brought intoengagement with the contact studs 19. The distributor tubes l20 are-secured to and supported by the supporting bar 8. `If -desired, acable or sheath 2'7 may be used to enclose .the wires 18 leading from a distributor tube 110 to 'a particular light bulb panel. "The wires i8V are insulated.

As shown more clearly in Figure l0, the distributor tubes are arranged in five rows, each vrow being supported by a cross-piece 8.

There are ten distributor tubes in `each ci the rows.

vEach, row ycarries wires leadingto a particular bulb socket panel in each side of the frame 7V;

' and thefwires from each tube in that-row lead able contact member 28 havinga rounded'or "cam vto Ncertain light bulb sockets. Fig. 10, the fifth tube from the bottom in the iirst row has wiresleading to one panel'. in' each side ofthe frame 7 and the wires are'ccnnectedto certain light bulbs which upon illuminatiompwill form'the numeral 5.

f To actuate each row of the plungers V24, amovsurface is employed. As illustrated more clearly lin Fig. 3, each of the contact members 28 is provided with an insulating block or base 29 which is A,secured to a rack member. lIhe rack 30 ispro- .vided near its ends with pins 31 rwhich extend into slots {l2-,formed inguide-members 33 sup-l ported on opposite sides of the rackBO. Asshown more clearly in Fig. 6, the guide members are se cured at their endstothe casing l and a'pair of guide members support eachof therrack inem- A bers 30.

`.Any suitable means for-connecting one of the racks 30 to one of the` gears D of the cash regis ter may be used.. In the illustration, a shaft 34 is mounted in the reduced ycasing portion 2 ,and carries a plurality of spaced pinions 35, adapted tomeshwith gears D.A The pinion gears 35 also mesh with the racks 30.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, a wire 36 is connected to each movable contactmember 28 and is preferably looped loosely within the casing member 2 so as to permit longitudinal movement ofthe contact member.v Anotherwire 3'7 is connected `to the copper plates of the `bulb y socket panels, thus completing the circuit.

It is preferred to keep the circuit broken until the members `28 have been brought in contact with the proper plungers 24, in order to prevent a'shing o f lights as the members V28 travel' under lthe Vrows of plungers. Any suitablemeans for kaccomplishing thisV purpose may be used. For eX- ample a circuit -breaker38, of anysuitable type `may .beinstalled in the line 36 and may be op- Y eratedy by the drawer of the cash register, the

plunger 39, which normally breaks the circuit, being forced outwardly by spring means and permitting the contact members to come together,

,when the drawer ofthe register is withdrawn.

Since inthe normal operation of a cash register, the draweris opened after the other operationsof'the cash register have come rto a stop,

the circuitin my apparatus will be closed vafter the mechanical operations` have beenV completed and after the` proper lights have .been .brought y within the circuit by the contact members 28;- If

itr is desired to operate the illuminating apparam tus independently of the drawer, any lother suitable means for closing andbreaking thecircuitmay be used,`such means, of course, being adapted to break'the circuit after ka brief illumi- As shown more clearly in Fig. 6, ythe various .gears D of the cash register, usually five in numnation of the light globes Yandy to closey the circuit immediately afterthe `actuated;,contact memberscome to rest.

ber, n are connected by the apparatus heretofore described torows of distributortubes from which wires lead to the proper bulb panels. #In this Way As illustrated in *theV `distributor tubes.. opened so as to permit the circuit breaker 38 to closethe circuit, the current may Apass' through yby connections'with partfsof the cashrregister an attachment.

the dollar'and cents indicators of the cash regis f ter are made to correspond with similarly ari ranged panels on the four sides of my apparatus.

' In the illustration given (Figs. 3 and l0) the contact member 28 is shown in contact with the plunger number 5 in the left hand row of distributor tubes, thus forming lin the $100.00 column the numeral- 5.

- vIn -the operation of the apparatus, the `gears D of the cash `register rotate the pinion gears 35 which are rotatably mounted upon n xed shaft 34 and causethe rack members 30 to move 1n a horizontalplane. ,When the gears D come to rest,` the contact members 28 raise certain of the plungers so as to form contacts between-the Leo contactmembers 28 and the Wires leading from When f the drawer is whichcorres'ponds to the transaction recorded Y by the cash register. lWhen the drawer isclosed,

.the circuit is brokenr again by thebreakerV 38, Yand the illuminationpceases. n 'Y i, y The apparatus has'been illustrated in the form oi anattachment which may bel usedk with cash registers already in use.' The reduced 'casing portion 2 maybe readily secured'to casing ex. .1

tension B of the cash register. If Vdesired, however, .the electric light f panels maybe supported in another part of the room and at somedistance `from the cash register, or they'. may beV usedin another room..

AWhile I have shown `an"apparatus adapted/:to s

be actuated by theV gears cfa cash registenit is ,obvious that l'suitable connecting. and :contact vmeans ,may be used with" cash registers which vare not provided with gears of the typeilluvsr. vtrated but are equipped with otherumeans for displaying a record vofthe. purchase, without d eyparting from the spirit of my'invention." It is obviousalso, thatl the illuminated panel apparatusof` the character describedmay'be operated.;

other ythan those illustratedl and that thelilluminatingapparatus may be builtin the cash register,`as an integral part thereoL'frather tiradas The lforegoing: detailed description has been given for clea'rnessy of understandirlgonly and no d unnecessary 'limitations should be understood "therefrom, but theappended claims 'shouldibe Aconstrued as broadly as 'permissible'. iny view of.r

the prior art. Y

lclaim: 1. In combination rwith a differentially 'mov'- able indicator'element of acash register or the like, a frame. a .plurality of ,lights supported therein and adaptedto outliner different digitsili by different combinations ofthe lights, a' plurality of stationary distributor contactmembers supported fin the frame andarranged in relatively spaced'relation, each member having contacts ,adapted to cause illumination of the'flights for a certain digit, and amovable -contact member connected for movement with an vindicato'rfelement and adapted when differentially positioned to cause the contactsmof. a selected distributor member tobe closed., f

[15ovv 2. In combination with a differentially movable indicator element of a cash register or the like, a four-sided frame, a pluralityof lights supported upon each side of the frame and adapted tovoutline different digits by different combinations of the lights, a plurality of stationary distributor Contact members carried kby the frame and arranged in relatively spaced relation, each member having contacts and conizo` 

